Edward MuirView profile
Professor
Edward Muir is the Clarence L. Ver Steeg Professor in the Arts and Sciences and Charles Deering McCormick Professor of Teaching Excellence at Northwestern University, with joint appointments in the Department of History and Italian Studies at Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences. His academic journey includes a B.A. from the University of Utah (1969), an M.A. (1970), and Ph.D. (1975) in Modern European History from Rutgers University, including a Semester in Italy Program at Syracuse University (1967). Muir's research explores the intersection of ritual, violence, and power in Renaissance Europe, with emphases on Italian history, microhistory, and cultural anthropology. His work examines civic ceremonies, gender exclusion, and the sociopolitical underpinnings of early opera. Key themes include the anthropology of Venice, religious processions, and community formation in pre-modern societies. His scholarly publications reveal a consistent focus on Renaissance cultural practices, Venetian society, and methodological innovations in microhistory. Recent works analyze opera's emergence in 17th-century Venice, anti-war movements, and gendered public spaces, blending archival rigor with interdisciplinary theory. Awards and Honors: Herbert Baxter Adams Prize (1982) Two-time Howard R. Marraro Prize winner (1982, 1993) Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Distinguished Achievement Award (2010, $1.5 million) Fellow, American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2014) Charles Deering McCormick Professorship for Teaching Excellence (2006) Muir has held major administrative roles including Department Chair at Northwestern and LSU, co-directed the Graduate Program in Italian Studies, and served on editorial boards for journals like the American Historical Review . He mentors through graduate programs but no specific student advisees are listed.
